Matadors’ Lack of Effort Tries Braswell in Defeat
MISSOULA, Mont. — Whatever problems Cal State Northridge has had this season, a lack of hustle was never one of them.
Until now.
“I think our guys were complacent and a step slow getting to loose balls,†Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said after his team’s 76-62 loss to Montana in a Big Sky Conference game Saturday night before 4,484 at Dahlberg Arena. “We can’t play complacent. We don’t have enough talent.â€
Braswell, who was back after missing Thursday night’s game against Montana State because he was in Los Angeles for his brother’s funeral, said Saturday night’s game was the worst Northridge (6-8, 2-2 in the conference) has played all season.
“They just outplayed us in all facets,†Northridge forward Tom Samson said. “This wasn’t our team out there and that’s the saddest thing. When you are a freshman team in a new conference, you’ve got to show what kind of team you are, and we didn’t do that tonight.â€
The high point of Northridge’s emotion came with about four minutes to play, when Keith Higgins and Montana’s Ryan Dick were battling for a rebound. Higgins fouled Dick, but then Dick elbowed Higgins.
That caused Keith’s brother, Derrick, to confront Dick, and both were called for technicals. But after the officials told Braswell that Dick would not get called for elbowing Keith Higgins, Braswell became extremely upset.
He had to be restrained from the officials and was also called for a technical.
“When you go on the road you are not going to get any breaks,†Braswell said.
Point guard Trenton Cross scored 11 points for the Matadors, who shot only 39.3% from the field and were never closer than nine points in the second half.
The Matadors’ weakness in the half-court offense was partly attributed to forward Kevin Taylor, whose asthma again flared up in the high altitude. Taylor was taken to a local hospital late in the game. He was given a prescription and released within 90 minutes.
Taylor played 28 minutes, missing eight of nine shots.
Montana improved to 9-7, 1-3.
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